In the 1990s, a major paper mill in KwaZulu-Natal faced a serious and persistent challenge: alcohol abuse among its employees. Workplace accidents were frequent and often severe. Internal safety audits at the time revealed that nearly 40% of workplace accidents were linked to alcohol consumption. Employees were arriving at work under the influence, and the risks to safety and productivity were growing, impossible to ignore.
The company knew it had to act. Drawing from safety protocols seen in the mining sector, the mill implemented a bold new approach: routine, mandatory breathalyser testing for all staff. It was one of the first industrial businesses outside mining to take such a step. At the time, this kind of intervention was almost unheard of, and it was met with significant resistance. Employees questioned the necessity of such measures, feeling that they were being unfairly targeted. Many felt the policy infringed on their personal lives, especially since much of the alcohol consumption occurred after work hours.
But the company held firm. With support from an on-site clinic doctor and clear communication around safety, testing was rolled out consistently and fairly. The results were staggering. Within a short period, alcohol-related accidents dropped from 40% to just 4%. The clinic even saw changes ripple beyond the factory gates: wives reported having more present partners at home, more money for groceries, and a dramatic reduction in domestic tension. One simple intervention was transforming lives at work and at home.
The deterrent effect of consistency
The mill’s success wasn’t due to revolutionary technology or draconian measures. The magic was in the consistency. Workers knew they would be tested. They knew the consequences. And over time, their behaviour changed. The bar after work became less appealing when it meant risking your job the next day.
This localised case study presents a powerful model, one with clear implications for a far broader problem: South Africa’s roads.
Turning the tide on tragedy
South Africa has one of the highest road accident rates in the world. Despite strict legislation against drunk driving, alcohol remains a leading contributor to fatal crashes. The laws exist, but enforcement is patchy at best.
What if we applied the same principle from the paper mill to the national road network? What if alcohol testing were routine, visible, and unrelenting, not just during festive crackdowns but every weekend, at known hotspots?
Overcoming challenges to enforcement
Introducing this system on a national scale would not be without its hurdles. Just as the paper mill factory initially struggled with employee pushback and a lack of understanding, road safety efforts must also contend with public awareness and law enforcement capacity.
Many South Africans are vaguely aware that drinking and driving is dangerous, but there is little education on exactly why. On top of that, low exposure to roadside testing creates a sense of impunity. People drink and drive because they assume they won’t be caught. The answer lies in making enforcement unavoidable and consequences certain-just as the factory did.
What a national testing programme could look like
A successful nationwide programme would need three key components:
- Training and integrity in law enforcement: Officers need to understand the dangers of drunk driving, not just the legal penalties, but the human costs. Proper training in the use of breathalysers, procedural consistency, and awareness of consequences (both for drivers and for corrupt officers) is essential. Body cameras and AI-backed monitoring could support transparency and deter bribery.
- Planned, targeted rollouts: Testing must be data-driven and consistent. Roadblocks should be placed strategically, near nightlife areas, during peak times (Thursday to Saturday evenings), with minimum test targets per location. This isn’t about random roadblocks-it’s about maximising impact with the resources available.
- Reliable equipment and maintenance: Breathalysers must be accurate, calibrated, and properly maintained. This includes budgeting for consumables and servicing. Without this, enforcement loses credibility, and the deterrent effect vanishes.
The role of business and community
Government alone cannot bear the burden. Businesses can-and should-step up. In high-risk areas, local companies could pool resources to sponsor breathalyser units, fund training, and support a coordinated enforcement plan. By partnering with local police, they could ensure equipment is used responsibly, maintained properly, and deployed effectively.
These partnerships could be structured through non-profits or community trusts to guarantee transparency and accountability. In return, businesses benefit from safer roads, reduced absenteeism, and healthier communities. This community-led approach would also empower citizens and local leaders to take back control of their road safety. It’s a model based on partnership, not just policy.
Lessons from the mill – a proven model, scaled up
The paper mill case proves one thing: consistent alcohol testing changes behaviour. Not just in theory, but in practice. When workers were held to account daily, they adapted. They chose safer, more responsible behaviour, because the consequences were clear and immediate. The same workers who were once arriving at work still intoxicated from the night before were now going home sober. They were fathers at home instead of patrons at the bar. They were safer, healthier, and more stable, and their communities benefited.
Now imagine that effect, multiplied across a nation.
This factory’s experience isn’t just a workplace safety success story; it’s a microcosm of what could happen on our roads. The same people who changed their behaviour to keep their jobs are the people getting behind the wheel every day. If the threat of testing can change their choices at work, it can do the same on the open road. Alcohol-related road deaths are not an inevitability; they’re a preventable tragedy, and we already know how to prevent them.
By Rhys Evans, Managing Director at ALCO-Safe.
